Here, you are urged and encouraged to run your mouths about something important.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Where is the Congressional Hispanic Caucus on Fast and Furious?

Red County has run my column about the complete absence of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus when it comes to calling for Attorney General Eric Holder's resignation over Fast and Furious. Hundreds of Mexican nationals have been killed as a direct result of this failed program. Yet, a group ostensibly charged with putting the interests of Hispanics at the top of their priority list is more interested in supporting a Democratic Attorney General and administration:

If you want evidence that the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) cares more about ideology than it does about the fate of Hispanics, look no further than its collective silence when the subject turns to the failed ATF operation known as Fast and Furious. In particular, consider the number of CHC members who have called for Attorney General Eric Holder's resignation.

The number stands at zero. Not so coincidentally, every member of the caucus is a Democrat; so is Holder.

Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was murdered and guns put into the hands of the bad guys who did it, were found at the scene. ICE Agent and hispanic, Jaime Zapata, was murdered in Mexico with guns that appear to have been placed into the hands of the thugs who fired them, through ATF inaction and possibly as part of Fast and Furious. As the congressional investigations into the failed operation approach the one year mark, 53 congressmen, 2 Senators, and 2 governors have all called for Holder to resign because responsibility ultimately lies with him.

The group of people who have suffered the consequences of Fast and Furious most are Hispanics, Mexican nationals to be exact. Reports put the number of Mexicans killed with Fast and Furious guns at a minimum of 200; Holder himself conceded that number is likely to rise as a result of the guns that have not yet been recovered. Evidence is also overwhelming that officials very high in the Department of Justice were intricately involved in the operation.

Yet, the vast majority of congressmen who are calling for Holder's resignation aren't hispanic and not one member of the CHC has called for the Attorney General's ouster?!

In fact, on the eve of the first anniversay of Terry's death, CHC member Nydia Margarita Velázquez told the Daily Caller that she hadn't even heard of Fast and Furious. Another CHC member, Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) went a step further, saying that he would call for Holder's resignation if the latter is shown to have be knew about Fast and Furious but said he hasn't seen evidence of that yet. Gutierrez said he would be watching the December 8th House Judiciary Committee hearing at which Holder would be testifying about Fast and Furious.

Hopefully, Gutierrez did not end up sharing the sentiment of fellow CHC and Judiciary committee member, Pedro Pierluisi (D-PR). Of all the Democrats on the committee, Pierluisi was ironically, perhaps the most sychophantic when it came to questioning Holder. He fawned when talking to Holder:

"The first thing that comes to my mind is that I should commend you... You've had the candor, the demeanor, and the patience to deal with them (repetitive questions)... I thank you and I commend you..."

Pierluisi then re-directed his focus away from Fast and Furious, saying that Holder has already denounced it, and put it onto gun shows and as well as the lack of a permanent ATF Director. By doing so, he implied that Fast and Furious was more the fault of Congress than the Justice Department.

The standard line from Holder when asked uncomfortable questions has been that he has placed the investigation into the hands of the DOJ's Inspector General. Pierluisi asserted that this was the right decision and that “no one has questioned the objectivity” of the IG. Uh, that statement does not even hold a parcel of a grain of truth. In addition to Inspector General Cynthia Schnedar and Holder having a very rich history of working together, Schnedar egregiously handed over secret audio tapes between a gun store owner and an ATF agent to the US Attorneys office in Phoenix; this ostensibly harmed the congressional investigation.

As facts about Fast and Furious come out, much of what clear thinking individuals suspected is being confirmed. The longer the Congressional Hispanic Caucus toes the Democratic line in that regard, the much of what clear thinking individuals suspected of them is being confirmed as well.